BJJ Graph

Lockdown

Dec 09, 20257 min read

Lockdown is Eddie Bravo’s revolutionary half guard variation that transforms traditional half guard from a defensive holding position into an aggressive attacking platform. This position features a specialized leg entanglement where the bottom player creates a figure-four lock around the opponent’s trapped leg, severely restricting their mobility while enabling powerful sweeps, back takes, and submissions. The lockdown mechanism works by using the bottom player’s outside leg to hook under the opponent’s shin while the inside leg wraps over the thigh, creating tremendous leverage to break posture, manipulate weight distribution, and create angles for offensive attacks. Within the 10th Planet system, Lockdown serves as the foundation for multiple attacking sequences including the Electric Chair, Old School sweep, and various paths to back control. The position is particularly effective in no-gi grappling where traditional gi grips are unavailable, and has become a cornerstone technique in modern BJJ competition. The lockdown’s effectiveness lies in its ability to simultaneously neutralize passing attempts while creating offensive opportunities, making it equally important to understand from both bottom and top perspectives.

Key Principles

  • Maintain constant tension in lockdown by pulling opponent’s heel toward hip while flexing outside foot

  • Use lockdown to break opponent’s posture by extending hips away while controlling trapped leg

  • Control opponent’s upper body with underhook or whip-up to prevent crossface and flatten attempts

  • Create angles by shrimping away from opponent while maintaining lockdown control

  • Keep opponent’s weight off-balance and prevent strong base establishment

  • Transition smoothly between lockdown variations and attacking sequences without releasing leg control

  • Use opponent’s escape attempts as opportunities to advance position or secure submissions

Top vs Bottom

 BottomTop
Position TypeDefensive with offensive optionsOffensive
Risk LevelLow to MediumMedium to High
Energy CostMediumMedium
TimeMedium to LongMedium

Key Difference: Leg triangle trades mobility for sweeps

Playing as Bottom

→ Full Bottom Guide

Key Principles

  • Maintain tight lockdown configuration with ankles crossed and locked, using top foot to hook and extend opponent’s leg

  • Keep lockdown active and dynamic, constantly extending and flexing to off-balance opponent and prevent base establishment

  • Secure underhook on trapped-leg side whenever possible for maximum control and offensive opportunities

  • Use hip movement to create angles toward opponent’s back or to set up whip-up and Old School sweeps

  • Prevent opponent from getting crossface control by using frames, overhooks, or underhook dominance

  • Stay active with attacks and sweeps rather than holding static position, forcing opponent to defend

  • Coordinate lockdown extensions with upper body movements to multiply off-balancing effects

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Locking lockdown too loosely, allowing opponent to easily extract trapped leg

    • Consequence: Opponent escapes half guard and completes pass to side control or mount
    • ✅ Correction: Cross ankles tightly with top foot hooking deep under opponent’s ankle, squeeze knees together to create maximum pressure on trapped leg

  • ❌ Remaining static in lockdown without extending or attacking, allowing opponent to establish dominant grips

    • Consequence: Opponent secures crossface and underhook control, nullifying lockdown’s offensive potential and setting up pass
    • ✅ Correction: Constantly move hips, extend lockdown to off-balance opponent, and immediately attack with sweeps when opponent adjusts base

  • ❌ Failing to fight for underhook on trapped-leg side, allowing opponent free underhook

    • Consequence: Opponent uses underhook to flatten bottom player, establish crossface, and systematically break down lockdown for pass
    • ✅ Correction: Prioritize underhook battle, use frames and overhooks when underhook unavailable, never allow opponent free underhook without immediate counter

  • ❌ Extending lockdown without coordinating upper body attack or sweep attempt

    • Consequence: Opponent anticipates lockdown extension, times extraction or pass, and escapes without significant difficulty
    • ✅ Correction: Coordinate lockdown extensions with upper body movements, attack combinations (extend while setting up Old School or whip-up), making extensions purposeful rather than random

  • ❌ Allowing opponent to establish strong crossface without defensive response

    • Consequence: Opponent flattens bottom player completely, eliminates lockdown’s effectiveness, and completes pass to side control
    • ✅ Correction: Immediately counter crossface with frames, overhook, or whip-up movement to prevent flattening, maintain ability to turn into opponent

  • ❌ Attempting Electric Chair or Old School without proper setup and angle creation

    • Consequence: Opponent defends sweep or submission easily, potentially counters with pass or dominant position
    • ✅ Correction: Create proper angles with hip movement before committing to attacks, use lockdown extensions to off-balance first, then enter sweeps and submissions with timing

Playing as Top

→ Full Top Guide

Key Principles

  • Maintain wide base with free leg to prevent being swept by lockdown extensions

  • Establish dominant upper body control (crossface or shoulder pressure) to flatten opponent and limit mobility

  • Work systematically to extract trapped leg using proper angle changes and pressure application

  • Never allow opponent to secure underhook on trapped-leg side without immediate defensive response

  • Keep weight distributed to prevent whip-up and Old School sweep attempts

  • Time leg extraction attempts when opponent is defensive or adjusting position

  • Transition immediately to passing sequences once leg is freed from lockdown

Primary Techniques

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Allowing bottom player to secure strong underhook without fighting for dominant upper body control

    • Consequence: Bottom player uses underhook leverage to execute Old School sweep or create angles for Electric Chair
    • ✅ Correction: Immediately fight for crossface or establish heavy shoulder pressure when bottom player threatens underhook

  • ❌ Sitting back with upright posture while trapped in lockdown

    • Consequence: Bottom player easily executes Old School sweep or Electric Chair submission with optimal leverage
    • ✅ Correction: Drive forward pressure through shoulder and chest to flatten opponent, making sweep and submission attempts more difficult

  • ❌ Attempting to extract trapped leg by pulling straight back against lockdown pressure

    • Consequence: Strengthens opponent’s lockdown control and opens Electric Chair submission opportunity
    • ✅ Correction: Use circular motion and angle changes to extract leg, combining hip pressure with strategic weight shifts

  • ❌ Remaining static without working toward leg extraction or pass completion

    • Consequence: Bottom player maintains lockdown indefinitely, eventually finding successful sweep or submission opportunity
    • ✅ Correction: Constantly work toward leg extraction or flatten opponent completely to neutralize attacks before passing

  • ❌ Posting both hands on mat simultaneously when defending sweep attempts

    • Consequence: Bottom player transitions to different sweep angles or takes back when defensive structure is predictable
    • ✅ Correction: Maintain one hand controlling opponent’s upper body (head, shoulder, or underhook) while posting with other hand only when necessary

  • ❌ Diving forward aggressively without securing upper body control first

    • Consequence: Bottom player uses forward momentum to execute whip-up or rolling back take
    • ✅ Correction: Establish crossface or shoulder pressure before committing weight forward, control opponent’s ability to turn into you

  • Half Guard - Parent position - traditional half guard without lockdown mechanism

  • Deep Half Guard - Alternative half guard variation - complementary attacking system

  • Knee Shield Half Guard - Alternative half guard structure - different defensive framework

  • Electric Chair - Primary submission target - signature lockdown attack

  • Dogfight Position - Common transition via whip-up - scramble position leading to sweeps

  • Truck - Advanced transition target - leads to twister and back attacks

  • Back Control - Ultimate position goal - accessible via multiple lockdown paths

  • Old School - Classic sweep position - direct lockdown attack option

  • Butterfly Half Guard - Related half guard variation - combines butterfly hook with half guard

  • Z-Guard - Alternative half guard structure - different knee shield configuration